I’ve worked on this project a bit — hasn’t really taken much time — but it wasn’t the easiest thing to find a good list of all the indie bookshops in Alabama. So let’s fix that.
Of course sprinkling in some good bookshops from elsewhere. Pretty Good Books, LaGrange GA (2022)
I wanted to incorporate all the ones where you could go in and order a new book, but then felt bad about leaving out some of those really great used book and collectible places that are so much fun. Maybe include both and just have a legend to demarcate each type? Let me know what you think.
Hidden Lantern Books, Rosemary Beach FL (2018)
What really got me going was this article at The Nosher:
The Lower East Side Shop Where Every Book Comes With a Pickle
This independent bookshop keeps the legacy of the Lower East Side’s pickling district alive.
Now, two years out, Sweet Pickle Books is a quirky literary destination for locals and tourists alike — and browsing through the store, it’s easy to see why. The railroad-style aisles are lined with love-worn paperbacks that tend to hover below the $10 mark, a disco ball swings in the corner, and the smooth stylings of the Vince Guardali Trio softly murmur from speakers throughout the store. There’s a pickle costume that young customers frequently take photos in…
The stairs at Square Books, Oxford MS (2017)
Here it is:
Little Professor at Pepper Place, Birmingham AL (2022)
And here’s the map link. Please let me know if you have any new-book indie additions and your thoughts about another category for the used/collectible spaces too. xoxo!